Screen enclosures for porches and swimming pools are increasingly popular, especially in places such as Florida, as a barrier to undesirable insects such as mosquitoes, and the like, from entering into the enclosure. A problem with the screened enclosures is how to allow power cords and/or water lines to pass from one side of the enclosure to the other, without having to open an exterior door the enclosure, or with enclosure that have no exterior door type openings.
For example, an outdoor water spigot located outside of a pool enclosure that is to be used to supply water to the pool inside the enclosure would require the door to the enclosure be propped open. Propping the door open over any period of time would defeat the purpose of the enclosure which is to keep bugs, and insects from entering the enclosure. Similarly, attaching a power cord to an electric outlet inside of the pool enclosure to power garden tools, such as a weed whacker, and the like, outside of the enclosure may also require the door to enclosure to be propped open.
The problem is further compounded with enclosures where there are no exterior door and/or window type openings. Here, the user may have to punch and/or cut an opening in the screen itself to allow the water line garden hose and/or power cord to pass through. The cut through hole would then allow for undesirable insects to pass through when the garden hose or power cord is removed. Alternatively, the user would have to patch the hole, which would clearly become an undesirable and visible patch job that would detract from the clean appearance of the screen enclosure walls. Still furthermore, the user would have to recut openings in more than one location if the power cord is needed at other locations.
Various types of patents have been proposed over the years. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,407 to Strohmeyer; and U.S. Published Patent Application 2005/0001107 to Costas. The Strohmeyer device requires plates on both sides of a screen to have screws 30 to attach the plates to one another. Using a small screw driver to separately screw in four screws can be quite difficult, and the screws can become easily lost. In addition, all the screws must be equally tightened in order to have a uniform seal about all sides of the plates, or there will be air leaks, and the like, that can result in the plates pulling off and further tearing the surrounding screen. Also, metal fasteners such as screws can rust and deteriorate when used outside. Still furthermore, the device has multiple teeth and slots that also must be carefully lined up so that the plates correctly overlap and sandwich the screen therebetween. Still furthermore, this device uses a loose flap members to adjust the opening size that can easily tear and break off over time resulting in a permanent opening or a leaky fit for allowing insects to pass therethrough. Still furthermore, the device uses a loose fitting plug member 24-26 that can also easily become dislodged and fall out which would further result in insects and the like passing through the permanent opening.
The Costas device also has similar problems and additional ones. Costas also requires small loose screws to attach the plate sides together that can be difficult to achieve with small screw drivers, as well as having the problem of the loose screws becoming lost. Costas also requires the plates be attached directly to screen frames, which limits the location of the device to only be mounted to the location of the frame, and not to any location on the screen. Additionally, the screws are located to one side of the plates, and do not allow for all sides of the plates to be uniformly sealed to one another. Also, the mounting to the frame is undesirable, since the screws must create permanent holes in the frame material which can create an electrolysis effect where dissimilar materials can deteriorate the screen cage framing over time. Still furthermore, this device is only for attaching a water hose bib directly to the screen cage, which does not allow for garden hoses and electrical cords to pass through the pass through. Still furthermore, the device allows for no closure for the opening if the bib is not being used, and does not allow for different size hoses or cords to pass through, which cause undesirable permanent openings for insects, and the like.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.